This rather dated and crude yet decidedly fun model is a “Chaos Dreadnought” released as part of the GW/MB Space Crusade boardgame in 1990. I picked up a copy of that game in 1993.

In Space Crusade the dreadnought model had some associations with the “Chaos Android” model, which is a prototype Necron. I used an android as one of my test pieces for this project (and I have a few more due to be finished up soon). As both model designs are already associated and both designs also feature daft robotic skull faces I decided to include this liked but neglected model in this project.

“You are in direct violation of Penal Code 1.13, Section 9.”

I figured that I could extend the concept from the Necrons and other skeleton robots to this guy, who easily fits in as some sort of Skynet Hunter-Killer (HK) or Necron canoptek unit like a wraith or whatever. Add to this that I have been wanting to paint this figure since I first bought it (a staggering twenty years ago. Christ. I had twenty years to comply) and it all starts to come together.

“You have five seconds to comply. Four… three… two… one… I am now authorized to use physical force.”

Further fudging the inspirations and influences for this sub-project is the ED 209 from the original Robocop movie. Robocop was released in 1987 and the visual similarities between the ED 209 and the Chaos Dreadnought designed and produced a couple of years later are obvious.

I wanted to give the model a little bit of the Omni Consumer Products look if possible, but without throwing it too far out from my more standard scheme for this project.

The more metallic look that I have gone for looks a little more like the design from the Robocop remake than the pale grey of the original ED209, but it fits better with the the other miniatures in the Necron/Skynet project this way.

The new design for ED209 from the upcoming Robocop remake.

The arm weapons on the model point slightly upwards due to their design and manufacture, which is a little weird. Not weird enough for me to bother modifying the fitting so that they ended up parallel with the ground or anything though.

I magnetised the arm weapons instead of using the weak clip assembly. Various combinations of the three arm weapons are visible in the photos above. Allowing the weapons to swap out is theoretically useful in games of Space Crusade, so retaining that functionality was fun. The weapons on ED209 will be interchangeable with any further similar models in this project.

Skeleton Robot Assault

Lastly, I normally avoid square bases on my figures. Circular bases just look better as far as I am concerned. The square base on the Chaos Dreadnought is convenient in games of Space Crusade however, so I kept it.

I have a nostalgic fondness for the Dreadnought model, even though in technical terms it is quite crude. I would likely never have got around to painting it if it hadnt dawned on me that it would fit in with these guys

I suspect that many a Space Crusade Dreadnought suffered a similar fate. The GW/MB experiment worked though, with many of the older gamers that I know getting into the hobby via Heroquest and Space Crusade. Some crudely daubed dreadnoughts and barbarians are a small price to pay for a lifetimes obsession I suppose.

That colour scheme came out quite nice for that model. I wish I could paint black as well as you, but I can’t so my version is going to have to be red with black spots.. 😉

One thing that strikes me in the group action shot is that the more diversity of models you have in the mix the better this warband looks I am sure in some part due to a tight colour scheme and basing.

You have done good as these mix of bots have plenty of character. I think you gotta have some character with your army of robots. The newer Necron have always seemed a little soulless in terms of character, they even make a background about it in the form of Pariahs! They are too much looking like “I, Robot”s from the Will Smith movie for me to ever feel anything for them. My favorite robots always have some character whether the trigger happy ED209, or the dry cool wit of Arnie as T800, or the just plain scary Hector…..

I edge highlight (rather than layer) black with a mid grey. Thats it, nothing arcane about it. Based on what I have read good painters highlight black leather in a similar way, but highlight black metal or whatever using a different process. The simple grey edge highlight gives me the best return on my time and still looks black rather than grey when finished, so I dont see myself changing my method any time soon, regardless of what the thing that I am painting is supposed to be made out of.

As for model diversity, anything that keeps me from having to paint the same or similar figures over and over is a good thing for productivity overall. I am a big believer in a rigid application of a strict scheme to varied models in order to pull them together visually. I am pleased to say that this project is turning out to be a good example of that theory working in practice 🙂

Regarding character: I am happy enough to play games against faceless zombie hordes or detached automata or mindless bug hordes, but I have little interest in playing games with them unless they have some individual character in places. I would rather that my evil robots were led by a ridiculous Saturday morning cartoon villain than by yet another “dark” and silent killing machine.

Speaking of characters, that you plan to call your Necron leader Hector is frankly bizarre. My nearly finished Necron Lord was christened “Hector Decimal” last week and I have his introductory post already written using that name. A very strange coincidence 🙂

Incidentally, Pariahs were retconned out of the Necron background in the second codex. The figures count as Lychguard now I think (not that that concerns either of us really). That codex changed a lot of the Necron background elements, largely in order to give the ‘bots more character. Naturally the fanbois freaked out, but I prefer the new background for the character reasons above.

Not bad at all! I quite like it, and the paint job is so very very smooth and nice! Can’t go wrong with ED209, one of few robots I approve of. Even if it is a whiny little bitch when falling down stairs…

Thanks for the compliments Mattias. I display far more symptoms of Big Robot Love than you do, but I am glad that our tastes overlap on the spectacularly buggy and elevation-change challenged Enforcement Droid Series two-oh-nine. ED isnt C3PO or Robby or B9 but its definitely a classic robot all the same.

The paint job is a big old cheat in many respects. Spray chrome car spray, wash a couple of times with dark inks, a rough and ready highlight with silver, block in and highlight the blacks and reds and its ready for basing. Nice and quick. The process does make the silver look pretty smooth with minimal effort though.

The project was chosen as a way to get out of a painting slump so I wanted a simple palette cleansing, high turnover job. So far it has been working out well. I have quite a few more that I want to get done though, so I am trying not to get distracted by other things.